Fastener for books with flexible bindings.



N0. 672,234. Patented Apr. I6, |90l.

C. LENFANT. l FASTENER FOR BOOKS WITH FLEXIBLE BINDINGS.

A (Application filed Dec. 4, 1900.) (No Model.)

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MTE Vfrnrns FFlCEt CHARLES LENFANT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 672,234, dated April 16, 1901..

Application filed December 4, 1900. Serial No. 38,627'. (No model To all whom] it nto/y concern,.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES LENFANT, a citizen of the United States, residing in New York, borough of Manhattan, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fasteners for Books with Flexible Bindings, of which the following is a specification. Y

For some time it was desired to obtain a practical fastener for books with flexible bindings-s uch as Bibles, prayer-books, dac. Various attempts have been made to provide such fasteners, but none of them stood the test of practical use.

The object of this invention is to supply a fastenerl for books with flexible bindings by which such a book can be readily opened or closed without impairing or tearing out the overlapping` cover edges.

The invention consists in the combination, with the overhanging edges of the cover of a iiexiblybound book, of a slotted retainerplate at the inner side of one cover edge, a supporting-piece having a head and a divided shank inserted through the cover edge and slot of the retainer-plate and having its rear ends bent over, the inner edge of said retainer-plate being inwardly bent, a reinforcing layer secured to the cover edge between the same and the retainer-plate, a stud applied to the opposite cover edge, and a conmeeting-bar pivoted to the head of the supporting-piece and provided with a recessed opening for engaging said stud.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a perspective view of a iieXiblybound book provided with my improved fastener. Figr2 is a vertical transverse section on line 2 2, Fig. l, drawn on a larger scale. Figs. 3 and 4 are horizontal sections on line 3 3 and t 4, Fig. 2; and Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are details showing individual parts of my improved fastener. i

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a iieXibly-bound book, such as a Bible or prayerbook. The overhanging covers A' A2 are connected by my improved fastener, which consists of a bar B, which is pivoted at one end to the overhanging edge a of one of the covers, as A', said connecting-bar being provided in its opposite end with a perforation b, having a ,recess or slot extension b', that engages a headed stud O, secured to the overhanging edge a2 of the opposite cover A2. The bar B is preferably made in the shape of a cross, as shown, but it may be made in any other shape desired. The pivot bof the bar B is headed over, so as to retain the bar thereon. For connecting the headed stud C with the cover edge a2 a slotted plate d, of square or other shape, is placed at the inner side ofthe edge a2, a reinforcing layer e, of cloth or other suitable material, preferably cemented to the cover, intervening. The stud O is riveted to the head c of a supporting-piece c o'. The divided shank c is passed through a slot in the cover edge, through the reinforcing layer c, and the slot d2 of the retainer-plate d, as shown in Fig. 4the supporting-strip ends being bent over at the inner side of the overlapping edge. The pivot b2 is connected securely tothe overhanging edge a in like manner by means of the supporting-piece ff', passed through the edge a', layer g', and retainer-plate g. When the parts are thus in position, the book can be closed by bringing the slotted opening b b over the headed stud C and pressing the overlapping edges a a2 sufficiently together so that the bar engages with the stud. Upon releasing pressure the shank of the stud enters the slot b', so that the bar O is retained by the head of the stud. When it is desired to open the book, the front edges of the same are pressed together by the fingers, so that the headed stud passes into the circular portion of the opening, when the bar may be released from the stud, so as to open the book.

The outer edge of the reinforcing or retainer plate g is bent inward at an inclination to the plane of the opposite cover edge, so asI to produce the riding under of the edge a beneath the edge a2 when the edges are pressed together for opening or closing the book. The reinforcing-layer g is preferably extended so as to cover this inclined portion of the retainer-plate g, as shown in Fig. 2, thereby preventing contact of the inclined portion directly with the cover.

rlhe fastener described provides a very simple and effective device for fastening iexiblybound books. Owing to the special means of IOO of shape at the points where the pin and stud are attached, which is liable to take place if these layers are not used. As the supporting-piece ff' cannot rotate in the cover, it prevents the washer or retainer g from rotating, so that the inclined edge of the same is always presented toward the opposite edge a2. This bent edge is an important feature, as it facilitates the closing operation of the covers and prevents mutilation and'wear of the edges, which would occur were they allowed to meet squarely at each closing or opening of the book.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent l. The combination, with the overhanging cover edges of a-flexibly-bound book, of'a retainer-plate applied to one of said edges, the inner edge of said retainer-plate being inwardly bent,a supporting-piece securedto the cover edge and engaging the retainer-plate, a stud on the opposite cover edge, and a connecting-bar pivoted to the supporting-piece and adapted to engage said stud, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the overhanging edges of a fiexibly-bound book, of a slotted retainer-plate at the inner side of one cover edge,.a supporting-piece having a head and divided shank inserted through the cover edge and the slot of the retainer-plate and having its rear ends bent over, the in ner edge of said retainer-plate being inwardly bent, a

headed stud applied to the opposite cover ed ge,and a connecting-bar pivoted to the head of the supporting-piece and provided with a recessed opening for engaging said headed stud, substantially as set forth.

A 3. The combination, with the overhanging ycover edges of a flexibly-bound book, of a islotted retainer-plate at the inner side of one cover edge, asupporting-piece having a head and a divided shank inserted through the cover edge and the slot of the retainer-plate, and having its inner ends bent over, a reinforcing layer secured to the cover edge between the same and the retainer-plate, a pivot secured to the head of the supporting-piece, a headed stud connected by a similar retainerplate, supporting-piece and reinforcing layer with the opposite cover edge, and a connecting-bar applied to said pivot and adapted to engage said stud, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the overhanging cover edges of a flexibly-bound book, of a retainer-plate applied to one of said edges, the inner edge of said retainer-plate being inwardly bent, a reinforcing layer interposed between said retainer-plate and the cover edge and extending over the inwardly-bent portion, a supporting-piece secured to the cover edge and engaging the retainer-plate, a

4stud on the opposite cover edge, and a connecting-bar pivoted to the supporting-piece and adapted to engage said stud, substantially as set forth.

In testimonythat I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES -LENFAN T.

Witnesses:

PAUL GOEPEL, GEORGE GEIBEL. 

